Tech takes on Eastern Kentucky in crucial OVC matchup

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - The weather has turned cold, but things will
be heating up in the Eblen Center Saturday night as the Tennessee
Tech men's basketball team looks to get back on track in Ohio
Valley Conference play when Eastern Kentucky pays a visit. Tipoff
is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

The Golden Eagles enter the contest at 7-8 overall and 1-3 in
league play, while Eastern Kentucky is 10-6 overall and 3-2 in OVC
play, but is just 1-6 on the road this season. The Colonels own a
66-52 edge in the all-time series against the Golden Eagles and
Tech has lost the last three meetings in the series. Both teams
enter the game coming off a loss Thursday night, and Tech will be
trying to end a two-game slide.

Eastern Kentucky enters the game having won two out of their last
three games. The Colonels are led by Justin Stommes who is
averaging 15.4 points per game. Josh Taylor is scoring 14.1 per
game and isn't afraid to launch the longball, as he is 40-of-109
(36.7 percent) from 3-point range on the season. Spencer Perrin is
averaging 9.0 points and 5.8 boards on the season, but EKU gives up
a -7.2 rebounding margin entering the contest, while Tech is +0.5
in that category.

After a four game winning streak that began with an overtime win
over Ball State, the Golden Eagles lost in overtime at Eastern
Illinois on Jan. 4, before falling to Morehead State on Jan. 7.
Tech will look to get back to .500 on the season with a win against
EKU.

The Golden Eagles have plenty of offensive weapons to get the job
done. Senior Frank Davis is averaging a team-high 15 points per
game for Tech, and is unconscious from behind the three-point line,
where he is one of the ten best in the country, shooting 51.1
percent (45-of-88). Kevin Murphy is averaging 14.5 points per game,
while Elijah Muhammad is scoring 11.5 points to go along with a
team-high 4.5 assists per game, and Alfred Jones averages 8.1
points and a team-high 5.4 rebounds per game.

Tech has shot over 50.0 percent from the field in its last six
games, going 4-2 in that span, and is shooting 47.3 for the season.
The Golden Eagles have hit 40.3 percent of their 3-point attempts
on the year, and are 68.3 percent from the free throw line as a
team.

The game will be broadcast live on WHUB-AM 1400, and can also be
heard through free Teamline, either on the web at www.teamline.cc
or on the phone by calling 1-800-846-4700 (team code 0654. Fans can
also watch the game via live web streaming on OVCsports.TV.